Most of you know I love to Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. Well, that involves "keeping" things around in case I need them, right? (Ok... hubby says I'm a huge pack rat!) But take a look at these cute little guys. They used to be CLOTHES. Every since that second issue of STUFFED magazine came out, I've been enamored with Stuffies. And what better way to reuse clothes that would be thrown away? Now, don't get excited... I would never throw away perfectly good clothes, I am a big proponent of donation. But the Stuffies made out the red fabric came from a shirt I bought at a resale and tried to alter so it would fit my daughter. I really screwed it up. So Monkey, Lulu and Olive were born. And then the dutch twins, Skar and Hapi. (All out of one little shirt!). Blue guy Hiram was made from a really ugly pair of blue velour track pants I got at the resale shop. No, I never intended on wearing them but I thought they were so ugly they probably wouldn't have been sold. Ever. So I saved them from rotting in a landfill. A lot of stuffies can be made from one pair of pants... Hiram is going be a big brother many times over. The leopard print Stuffy, Sookie, was made from a perfectly good shirt I bought for 50 cents at a resale. Gulp. Yes, I bought the shirt for the sole purpose of making a Stuffy.
Why do I love making these guys? They are all unique. Sure, I make the patterns myself, and may even use the same fabric (like the dutch twins) but no face ever matches, so they are all one of a kind. Unfortunately I fall in love with every one. I am such a sucker for a cute face.
Now... what to do with them? They're not really appropriate for small children because of the buttons sewn on them. I'll probably end up putting some up on etsy (as soon as I figure out how to list stuff!) I'll probably keep a few. Right now they are all sitting on top of my quilt rack. They look a little bit like the 7 muses...
These guys look like the monsters under my bed! They are very cute.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteYou should think about selling these cute dollies on etsy :)
They are adorable!!
What a cute idea Lisa. They are very cute. You are very good at recycling things and making them beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThose guys are awesome. Just wonderful. And I love the names too. A whole family. But remember, if you name them, you might not be able to let them go!!! Sox
ReplyDeleteI love these Lisa! They remind me of the Nauga monsters that my grandpa brought us when worked at US rubber.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were that into reusing items. I am not for the landfill reason but for the cheap factor. Shoot I paid good money for that outfit and I would like them to be worn out. To this end we have a line that we pass down in church so this Sunday I saw a Christmas dress that Faith wore 8 years ago on the little girl next to Grace and baby clothes the week before on another little one. It is better than a photo album for me because I remember the kids as they were completely like a flashback.
I may have shared the PA Dutch proverb "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without." Half of the absolutely adorable clothes my mom made for me came from scraps of my sisters or moms dress fabrics. If you embroider eyes you could donate to hospitals for kids who come in. Grace got one when she went to Childrens and it was a favorite monster for a long time.
What is etsy?
I love them all!!!! I have to admit - I do the same thing! I use old clothes over (you could also take the fabric and cover up a plain journal with it. if you glue it on and then fold the pieces onto the inside of the book you could then glue the first page over that and it looks niiiiice. Maybe you've tried that. It's a good way to have a fun art journal. I like to do that.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I also go to stores where they sell the cheap unwanted old clothes and I buy things just to use them in my art.... so that's ok! At least they are getting used and not rotting in a landfill - as you said!!
I can't wait to see what you come up with next!!!
Oh, these are so stinkin cute!!!!! I love the button eyes!! I can't wait to be able to use the sewing machine better! I have so many ideas for stuffies. The craft warehouse near my house was having a HUGE sale on fabric and I got several yards of really great fabric for DIRT cheap! So, I'm collecting because when the time comes for me to make stuffies, there will be no stopping me! I LOVEEEEEEE your little guys. They are so fun! xo
ReplyDeleteVery cute and different. For your etsy, try making the eyes out of some other fabric you sew all around so they could be sold for little kids or just say they aren't for little kids but for the little kid inside the adult!
ReplyDeletecute!
ReplyDelete